Diving-bell.



A. CERETTI.

DIVING BELL.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26 1917 Patented Feb. 26, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- ATTORNEY INVE NTOR IVITNESSES A. CERETTI.

DIVING BELL.

M APPLICAHON FILED JUNE'ZG. 19]? L fi fifi u Patented Feb. 26, 1918.

2 SHEETS$HEET 2.

INVENTCBIQ ATTORNEY n (my t1; t til i w i i j it DIVING-BELL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 26, 191%..

Application filed June 26, 1917. Serial no. 177,157.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that ll, ARNALno CERETTI, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Maisonneuve, Montreal, in the Province ofQuebec and Dominion of Canada, have invented new and useful Improvements in Diving-Bells, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to hydraulic engineering, and more especially to diving armor; and the object of the same is to produce a diving bell within which a workman may safely descend to great depths and from which he may place an exterior running knot or slip-noose over an object to be saved. A further object is to equip the device with means for providing the workman constantly With fresh air, and to safeguarding its interior in case a glass should break. Other details will be set forth in the following specification, reference being made to the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of this invention' complete showing it supported by a boom from the deck of an appropriate vessel.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section through the bell and the instrumentalities contained therein, and Fig. 3 is a similar transverse vertical section.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal and transverse sectional detail of a non-collapsible flexible hose.

Fig. 5 is a detail of the quick-action valve for safeguarding the operator from a broken lass. g Fig. 6 is a sectional detail of the brake for the rope.

Fig. 7 is a perspective detail of the tiller.

Fig. 8 is a perspective detail of the noose.

In Fig. 1 is diagrammatically shown the deck of a vessel V from which projects a boom 13. Said vessel has a Windlass W from which a cable C leads along the boom and downward to the diving bell yet to be described, and the vessel also has an air pump A and a dynamo Dall diagrammatically shown in Fig. 1. This vessel accompanics the diving hell, and when the latter is drawn to the surface the operator enters it and is sealed therein. The bell is then lowered to a point near the bottom adjacent a wreck or other object to be salvaged, and

- rises through a packed it is the purpose of the present invention to so construct the bell that the diver or operator, who is not now clothed in a suit of diving armor but rather is free within the bell, may manipulate a running line or slipknot so as to drop it over the object 0 (see Fig. 2) in a manner yet to be explained.

eferring now more particularly to Figs. 2 and 3, the cable G is attached to a clip 1 at the top of a strap metal bail 2 whose arms extend alongside a substantially cylindrical shell 3 having a dome-shaped to 4 provided with a manhole which is close airtight by a cover 5. Through this manhole the diver enters and leaves the bell and while within the same he stands on its flat bottom 6 which constitutes the floor. The arms of the bail 2 are carried down past the shell, preferably braced at 7, and are provided with bearings for the trunnions of a reel 8 on which is wound a rope 9 having a running noose or slip-knot 10 at its outer extremity. It is the purpose of the diver to drop this noose over an object such as that designated 0 in Fig. 2. For holding it supported in a substantially horizontal position, fine ropes or cords llrise from suitable points on the noose to a bracket 12 projecting from the shell at a high point, and these cords may be broken forcibly as described below. The rope also passes through a guide 13 within which is a brake 14 whose rod 15 opening in the floor 6 and has a handle 16 within the shell. By actuating the handle the brake can be applied to the rope so that the latter will not run freely through its guide 13, but under normal conditions the brake is not applied. The rope 9 should not be confused with the lifting cable C which passes up over a pulley at the outer end of the boom B and is wound on the Windlass W on board the vessel Vthe sole function of the cable being to raise and lower the bell containing the diver, as usual in outfits of this character. I,

Air for breathing purposes is supplied from the pump A on the vessel V through a flexible hose 20, and its admission to the hell or shell is preferably controlled by the diver by means of a valve 21. The outlet of air is through another flexible hose 22, also controlled by a valve 23, but at this depth T find that it maybe well to employ a suction pump at the upper end of the outlet hose, so that the diver will not suffer. As the pressure at great depth is quite severe, I propose that all flexible hose shall be internally braced by metal elements or knuckles 24 best seen 1n Fig. 4, each knuckle being of plus shape with feet 25 at the outer ends of its arms and a hub 26 where they cross, and the several hubs being interengaged by pin and socket connection as shownso that they may articulate as the hose flexes, but the feet prevent the collapse of the hose no matter What the pressure. The air of course passes through the space between the arms n either direction. Within the shell or bell is a telephone 27 and a switchboard 28, and the wires from these elements lead upward and are within a. thoroughly insulated and waterproofed cable (not shown) to another telephone on deck and to the dynamo D for purposes which will be made clear. One pa1r of wires from the switchboard leads to a controller 29 having means for cutting in more or less resistance and having a reversing device, all as common in controllers now in use.

A rear or main propeller 30 has its shaft journaled in the shell 3 at what will be the rear of the same and is connected with an 30 electric motor 31 whose wires lead through the controller 29 to the switchboard 28. Duplicate side propellers 32 have their shafts journaled through the side walls of the easing in line with each other, and each is con- 5 nected with a motor 33 whose operation is controlled from the switchboard 28. Assuming that the device in Fig. 2 faces to the right, it is obvious that by rotating the main propeller in the proper direction the entire hell can be moved forward, or by reversing it the entire bell can be moved backward.

Also by operating either lateral propeller the device can be moved to one side or the other. Therefore the movement of-this device, as it hangs by its cable 0 from the boom B, is under the direct control of the operator or diver, although of course the movement of the vessel V will carry the entire outfit to the point of use or approximately where the wreck is to be found, and after the bell is lowered to a point near the bottom the driver swings the bell forward and backward and from side to side so that eventually he can drop the noose 10 over the article 0. His progress may be regulated to an extent by a rudder 35 mounted on an upright pivot at the rear of the shell 3, and its control is by means of gears 36 connected with a forked tiller 37 inside the shell in position where the operator may sit with his back within this fork. Therefore as he swings his body from side to side he moves the rudder accordingly, leaving both hands free to manipulate the instrumentalities within his reach. The rudder is disposed above the main propeller 30. The propellers are protected by shields or guards 38 on the exterior of the shell 3.

The operator or diver is permitted to see his work by means of windows in the she e of portholes in which are mounted doub e glasses as best seen in Fig. 5. Fig. 2 shows only one of these at 40 in the front wall, Fig.

3 shows two of them side by side at 41, and there may be others. In any case the glass is double so as to leave an air space between the two panes, whereby difference in the temperature of the water outside and the air inside will not break the glass. I prefer to provide a quick-acting valve 43 for each winso dow, capable of action by means of a lever 44 as seen in Fig. 5, and if by any accident the outer pane of glass should break, the operator can throw the lever so as to prevent the inrush of water which would break the inner pane and fill the shell 3. These windows give the operator an outlook in several directions, and in addition there may be a periscope at 45, protected also by double glass and a quick-acting valve, and through this periscope the operator may look downward onto his work. The numeral 46 designates an electric light or a plurality of lights housed within a reflector protected by double glass as indicated at 47, and the wires from this light will be led through the switchboard 28 so that it is under the operators control. Within the shell will also be a compass 48 and other provisions for the comfort, safety, and edification of the operator.

With this construction the operation of my device is as follows :The operator passes into the shell, through the manhole, which latter is closed by the cover 5, and immediately the air pump A must be started. A rope is wound on the reel 8,.led through the guide 13, and provided with a noose 10 in its free end and the noose is supported by cords 11 wlnch are tied to the bracket 12. The entire bell is now lifted ofi the deck of the vessel V by actuating the Windlass W to draw on the cable C, and when the boom is swung out over the stern as seen in Fig. 1, the bell is lowered into the water. The 115 vessel will have first proceeded to approximately the point where the wreckage is supposed to lie, and we may assume that the letter O designates some object such as an anchor or other piece of wreckage which it 1 is desired to save. When the bell has reached a depth just above the bottom, as the operator can see by looking through the periscope while the bottom is illuminated by the lamp at 46, he gives the signal and 1 the Windlass on shipboard is stopped. Now the vessel is driven slowly ahead, and the main cable tows the shell, the operator within the latter possibly switching the current onto 1115 main propeller 30 to keep pace 30 mean with the speed of the vessel V, and meanwhile keeping a strict watchout for the object O. From time to time he actuates the proper switch to move one slde propeller 32 or the other, bell from side to side so as to cover quite a path. Or he may turn it axially by manipulating the rudder 35 by means of the' forked tiller 37. Thus these several instrumentalities enable him to search the bottom of the sea over quite a wide path as the vessel proceeds. Assuming finally that he discovers the wreck and the, object 0 which he is to salvage. He signals for the vessel to stop, and perhaps for the bell to be dropped a little-in fact he is in constant communication with the pilot of the vessel and the operator in charge of the mechanism supporting his bell. By this means the device is brought nearly into position through movements of the vessel and the main cable, and exactly in position through manipulation of the instrumentalities under the direct control of the diver; and eventually he gets the noose 10 directly over the ob ect 0 and then orders the entire bell lowered suddenly. This drops the noose onto the object as will be clear. Now he applies the brake 14 to the rope 9, and re verses the main propeller 30, or in other words he backs up so as to tighten on the rope 9, which of course draws the noose 10 tight around the object. Then he releases the brake, and orders the bell raised. As it rises the rope 9 causes the rotation of the reel 8, or pays out, and the fine cords 11 break; and when the bell reaches the surface the diver again applies the brake 14:. He now comes out of the shell 3 for a breathing space and a rest and-others on shipboard attach the rope 9 to a capstan or Windlass, and draw up the object 0.

Thus the diver has been enabled to put the noose over the object while he was thoroughly protected from water, pressure, and submarine dangers. The bell being tightly closed, the question of supplying a proper volume of air and under normal or atmospheric pressure is easily solved by using a pump on the supply hose and an exhaust on the outlet hose, and if at any time the air supply or pressure becomes uncomfortable the operator can telephone and conditions will be immediately corrected.

The water pressure at great depths has made it impossible for a diver in an ordinary or even in a reinforced armor to descend beyond certain limits, and evendf he could do so his movements would be hampered by the pressure and the stifiness of r the reinforced armor surrounding-his body.

he various instrumentalities in this bell are more than an ordinary diver could carry about his person with ease and convenience, and for these several reasons I consider and thus he swings the haust, means at the this device far superior'to diving armor,

I consider it superior t6" an air-tight shell having air supply and exwater surface for raising and lowering and moving the shell, instrumentalities exterior of the shell for causing its progress in various directions, manually control ed mechanism interior of the shell for selectively actuating said instrument-alit1es, glass-covered sight openings in the shell, and a light thereon; of a bracket on the shell, cords depending therefrom, a rope,

carried by at its extremity to which said cords are at tached, and means for controlling the pay ing out of the rope. v

' 2. In a diving bell, the combination with an air-tight shell having air supply and exhaust, means at the water surface for raising and lowering and moving the shell, instrumentalities exterior of the shell for causing its progress in various directions, manually controlled mechanism interior of the shell for selectively actuating said instrumentalities, glass-covered sight openings in the shell, and a light thereon; of a reel rotatably mounted beneath the shell and carrying a cable, a guide through which said rope passes, a brake within the guide actuated from the interior of the shell, the rope having a noose at its extremity, and breakable means on the exterior of the shell for supporting said noose in the path of said light.

3. In a diving bell, the combination with an air-tight shell having air supply and ex,- haust, means at the water surface for raising and lowering and moving the shell, instrumentalities exterior of the shell for causing its progress in various directions, manually controlled mechanism interior of the shell for selectively actuating-said instrumentalities, glass-covered sight openings in the shell, and a light thereon; of a reel rotatably mounted beneath the shell and carrying a cable, .a guide through which said rope passes, a brake within the guide actuated from the interior of the shell, the rope having a noose at its extremity, a bracket projecting from the shell in line with said light, and cords hanging from said bracket and branched to and connected with said noose, for the purpose set forth.

4:. In a diving bell, the combination with an air-tight casmg, means for supplying air thereto and exhausting it therefrom, sightopenings in its wall, and a light carried by the shell and having a slip noose 1 4, M v I 1,257,809

- rising therefrom to the interior of the shell, the point overhead, control valves therein, 16

. for the purposeset forth.

I of the shell, a rope wound thereon and havings; of air hose leading into the shell rom ARNALDO C and air supply and exhaust mechanism over- 5, In a deep-water diving bell, the combihead, the hose containing a series of metallic nation with an air-tight shell having glassknuckles of plus-shape with feet at the outer covered sight openings,a reel on the exterior extremities of its arms and hubswhere said arms cross, the hubs being loosely connected 15 ing a noose, and means whereby the noose is with each other, for the pur ose set forth. carried by the shell in line with said 0' en- In testimony whereof I a x mg 1giEgnature.

TTI. 

